By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
ROCKINGHAM — Before friends and family, Daryl Mason was sworn in by Clerk of Superior Court Vickie Daniel Tuesday afternoon as a temporary replacement for former Commissioner Jimmy Maske, who resigned May 31.
The remaining commissioners voted on July 7 to have the vacancy filled by Mason, chief operations office at Leak Street High School. The decision bypassed the recommendation to the board of commissioners given to it by the Richmond County Democratic Party leaders who voted June 17 to nominate Peggy Covington to fill the remainder of Maske’s term, which expires in December.
Mason was accompanied to the Richmond County Judicial Center in downtown Rockingham by his wife, Theresa Mason, who is a physical education teacher at Rockingham Middle School. She held the Bible as her husband was sworn into office.
Daryl Mason, 51, of Rockingham, said he plans to retire in two years from Richmond County Schools and hopes then to seek a position on the Richmond County Board of Education. He said he figured the six months on the Board of County Commissioners would serve in well in the not-too-distant future.
Both Covington and Herb Long received votes for the temporary position, but both are current candidates for county commissioner in the November election. Board members indicated July 7 they wanted to avoid having a candidate fill the seat.
Maske’s resignation was made public on May 30. The announcement came after serving the county as commissioner for 36 years — and another 10 as a member of the Richmond County Board of Education. Maske was honored at the commissioners’ June 2 public meeting for his decades of public service.
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